It's Thanksgiving and Rachel has invited her assistant Tag. He has just broken up with his girlfriend so Rachel tries to figure out how to make a move on him. Phoebe is revealed to have been keeping a friend's dog in Monica and Chandler's apartment. Although Chandler claims to be allergic, the truth comes out that he simply doesn't like dogs and wants it out of the apartment.
In the C plot, Ross spends the whole episode trying to name all fifty states for a game Chandler learned at work, but can't quite get all of them.
Tropes
- Bad Liar: Ross and Joey try to cover for Phoebe and claim there's no dog, which goes fine... until Joey says, "Yeah, that dog left."
- The Bet: Ross gets so focused on proving he can name all the states that he bets he can name them all before dinner, but Chandler says he goes hungry if he fails. Ross fails and, late into the night, he still can't get them all. Ultimately, Ross just admits he can't do it, and Chandler doesn't stop him from finally having some turkey.
- Break the Haughty: When Ross first finishes the list he condescendingly lectures everyone about not being able to name all the states, only for Chandler to tell him he only got 46. By the end of the episode he still only gets 49 (he listed Nevada twice).
- Continuity Nod: After Tag tells Rachel that he thought he and his ex-girlfriend were going to be together forever he echoes Rachel's words from the second episode.Tag: I always used to assume, that I would meet someone and fall in love and be happy and all that was just a given. But lately it's like what if it's not. Do you ever have that feeling?
Rachel: No...Yeah, all the time, constantly. It's terrifying. - Dumbass Has a Point: Joey gives Rachel some good advice about making sure Tag likes her before saying or doing anything else. He also warned Chandler to keep his dislike of dogs under wraps at some point in the past, and later advises him to bring Clunkers back to the apartment (saying that would make him look like a big hero to Monica).
- Global Ignorance: Joey thought there were 56 states, including such examples as New England and South Oregon, and that Utah is something Ross made up.
- I Warned You: When Chandler's about to confess to the group that he hates dogs, Joey warns him to not say it. When the group reacts as expected, a smug Joey tells Chandler, "Told ya."
- Know When to Fold 'Em: By the end of the episode it's 3AM and Ross is so tired and hungry he decides he no longer cares that his list of the states is still one short.
- Malaproper: Joey's infamous "moo point."Joey: You know, it's like a cow's opinion. It just doesn't matter. It's moo.Rachel: Have I been living with him for too long or did that just make sense?
- Precious Puppy: Clunkers, the dog that Phoebe has been hiding in the apartment.
- Secret-Keeper: Joey being the only one who knew how Chandler felt about dogs.
- Throw the Dog a Bone: Ross loses the bet and still comes up short late at night, but during the end credits, Chandler just lets this guy on the verge of tears have some turkey.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Take a wild guess.Chandler: They are needy, they are jumpy, and you can't tell what they are thinking, and that scares me a little bit.
